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life lessons

When you think of the term “video game”, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Call Of Duty? QBert? [points to you if you know QBert] For most of us, gaming didn’t really become a thing until the NES, or better known as Nintendo Entertainment System. One of my fondest gaming memories is playing Super Mario Brothers on the NES with my cousin and my sister, it was a great way to escape the harsh realities of being a kid; with such struggles like homework, life at home, or [in my case] dealing with bullies. It was through the Mario Brothers that made me feel like I was invincible [and not just because of the Star ingame]

As I grew older, so did my gaming consoles — I eventually began ‘evolving’ as a gamer. These gaming systems became [and still are to this date] something special to me, helping me delve deeper into a world that makes you feel special, or important. Video games for me only really started taking ahold of me in grade 4 – which was when I got my Nintendo 64. Look in the collage above, do you see it? here let me make it easier for you: [read on!] It was the first time I was introduced to the game series/franchise which still remains my favorite of all time: The Legend Of Zelda. I started with Ocarina Of Time – which may explain my strong love for it – and I have been moving forward with the series ever since.

Ocarina Of Time was the first game ever to make me feel important as a non-existent character, I’m not just 8-bit Mario jumping on turtle shells; I’m actually on an adventure – defeating huge scale bosses/enemies – to stop an evil demon king from trying to take over the land!

As I mentioned before, I used to see gaming as an escape from everyday life – bullies used to push me around at school. a lot. but as soon as I got home, I was ‘the Chosen one’ who was destined to save the world! although I feared for school the next day, I was excited as heck to get back home to my room and ‘become’ my favorite video game character. Now a days, I’m an adult – last I checked – but I still play video games. Although I usually play more ‘mature’ games such as Wolfenstein or Splatterhouse, [I’m talking about the remake on the Xbox360] I will always have a soft spot for the Zelda series.

In the end, it really shouldn’t matter what games you play, or what kind of gamer you are: as long as you’re happy playing it, fuck everyone else’s opinion. I just wish someone told me that as a kid – and if someone did tell me that – I wish I would have listened. You can have the ‘best console’ with ‘the best graphics’ but nothing will compare to the classics of yesteryear, like Mario, QBert, or Legend Of Zelda. just think, all these feelings I have about video gaming started with two little Italian Plumbers: Mario and his brother Luigi.

join me tomorrow when I write a top 5 list I’ve been dreading since I started watching horror films: “warrenisweird’s top 5 clowns in horror films”. I don’t know why I do these things to myself – is it the thrill of fear? I don’t even know..

[I used a blank face because this post isn’t towards anyone I wish to mention by name: plus LEGO is awesome]

If I’ve learned one thing in my 22 years of living on this Earth, it’s that people will always come and go in our lives. It’s human nature to want something more than what we have already. It’s just part of our ‘coding’. this could mean anything from moving to a new city to a new job.. Of course — this usually means there’s always a possibility of people moving out of our lives.

I feel like I will never truly understand the idea of people just deciding that they are ‘no longer friends’. how do you just suddenly realize that you don’t like someone as a friend anymore? Maybe I’m touchy on the subject because I have had it happen a lot in recent years. I’ve had it happen a dozen times. I’m sure everyone has had this happen, at least once or twice in their life. be it from an argument or the friend wasn’t really “mine in the first place”, [more on that one in a bit] the feeling isn’t great — in fact sometimes, it affects you more than you thought it initially would!

Above, I mentioned about sometimes the ‘friend’ wasn’t really yours to begin with, and as much as it sucks to hear it; it’s true. here’s what I meant — have you ever dated someone for a long time, but then had it abruptly end? then, when it does end, everyone you met through that person suddenly acts like you don’t fucking exist. It’s frustrating, it’s upsetting, and [most of all] it’s dumb to know that people think this way is the ‘right’ way of solving problems.

It’s not all bad though — like all clouds with a silver lining, there’s a positive behind this way of thinking: by losing the ‘fake friends’, you actually learn who your real friends are; they’re the ones who stuck by you the whole time.. and I think that’s just one of the greatest things in life.

So before you just jump to a conclusion and assume you have no friends because they all ‘left’ you, think of it like this: maybe they were meant to leave.. to make room for new friends. I had to learn this the hard way and hope no one ever has to go through the pain of fighting with friends.. at least to the degree of losing them. As for the friends you have now, fight for them — you deserve them just as much as anyone; don’t believe otherwise.

This post started as a way to vent about a guy quitting at work whom I didn’t really like when I started, but we slowly became friends over time. When we actually became friends, was when he gave his 2weeks. Although we won’t be working together, shouldn’t mean we can’t still be friends. I then lead into some personal things, but sometimes – that’s not a bad thing. It’s good to let you’re feelings out once in a while, be it to a Councillor, a friend, or even through a blog! [just another thing I learned the hard way!]

Now, I really need to go get ready. I’m actually meeting up with a friend at Noon today.. and after a long [but really slow] weekend — My body feels gross!

[hey look! it’s me on the far left! with 2 of the best friends a guy could ask for — I’ve known them for over 10 years!]